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The Rochester-based printing and imaging company said Tuesday that James V. Continenza had been elected chairman, effective immediately. Antonio M. Perez has been chairman since 2005, when he also was promoted from company president and chief operating officer to CEO, replacing retiring Daniel Carp.

Perez remains a member of the board. The move comes as the clock is counting down on Perez's tenure at the helm of the company. He previously said he would remain as CEO for a year after the company ended its bankruptcy, or until a replacement was found, whichever came first. Kodak exited bankruptcy early this month.

Continenza joined the Kodak board in April. Kodak — at that time in the midst of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy — said one of his key attributes was his experience "as a manager and director with diverse companies that have successfully emerged from corporate restructuring."

In a statement, Continenza said Kodak "is a company poised for growth. I look forward to providing leadership as the company realizes its potential as a technology company focused on the packaging, graphic communications, and functional printing markets."

Continenza also serves on the board of Tembec Corp., a Canadian paper products company. He previously has been on the board of such companies as Arch Wireless Inc., Rural Cellular Corp., and Anchor Glass Container Corp.